Continuous transfer process for coating rigid elongate work

ABSTRACT

This invention pertains to a method for coating relatively rigid elongate work and comprises the steps of feeding a film containing a heat releasable coating material from a feed roll through a coating station while drivingly advancing a relatively rigid elongate workpiece along a flat surface through the coating station where the heat releasable coating material is supplied to the work by heating and pressing a roller having a resiliently yieldable heat conducting external surface against the film and the workpiece. The film from which the heat releasable coating has been removed is thereupon taken up upon a roller. The steps of feeding, coating, advancing and removing are all synchronized to provide a continuous operation.

commuous TRANSFER PROCESS FOR COATING RIGID ELONGATE WORK June 13, 1972 R. T. BILLINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May 13, 1963 June 13, 1972 R. T BILLINGH 3.563.733

commuous 'rn/msmn xnocl-zss FOR comma nmn) momma worm driginal Filed May 13, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ser. No. 37,386

Int. Cl. B44c 1/16 U.S. Cl. 156-238 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention pertains to a method for coating relatively rigid elongate work and comprises the steps of feeding a film containing a heat releasable coating material from a feed roll through a coating station while drivingly advancing a relatively rigid elongate workpiece along a fiat surface through the coating station where the heat releasable coating material is supplied to the work by heating and pressing a roller having a resiliently yieldable heat conducting external surface against the film and the workpiece. The film from which the heat releasable coating has been removed is thereupon taken up upon a roller. The steps of feeding, coating, advancing and removing are all synchronized to provide a continuous operation.

This application is a streamlined continuation of application Ser. No. 740,011, filed Apr. 22, 1968, now abandoned, which in turn is a division of application Ser. No. 280,035, filed May 13, 1963, now Pat. 3,433,698.

This invention relates generally to apparatus and method for the treatment of elongate work or molding, and is especially concerned with the surface finishing or coating of elongate work.

While the method and apparatus of the present invention have been primarily developed for use in the gilding or coating with gold of molding, as for picture frames, furniture, building materials, and the like, it is appreciated that the invention is not so limited but capable of many varied coating applications, all of which are intended to be comprehended herein.

As is well known in the trade, the gilding or goldcoating of molding has heretofore been extremely expensive, as requiring a great amount of tedious and highly skilled hand work. In addition, the resultant product often lacked uniformity in the applications of gold, and the gold was subject to peeling, accidental removal, and the like.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a unique apparatus and highly improved method for coating elongate work, such as the gilding or gold-coating of molding, which overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties, is substantially automatic to effect considerable savings in labor costs, produces a superior quality of coated product with substantial savings in gold or other coating material, and which may be achieved with relatively inexpensive equipment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coating apparatus having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which apparatus is extremely simple in construction, durable and entirely reliable throughout a long useful life, and which can be economically manufactured, installed and maintained.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent by reading the following specification and re- Patented June 13, 1972 ferring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, and combinations and arrangements of elements and method steps, which will be exemplified in the following description, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing coating apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial top perspective view showing the coating station of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional elevational view along the line 66 of FIG. I; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional elevational ly along the line 77 of FIG. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, and specifically to FIGS. l-3 thereof, a support, table or bed is generally designated 10 and may be constituted of a generally horizontal plate 11, supported in elevated position by legs 12, or other suitable framework. The bedplate 1.1 is of elongate configuration and may be formed at one location with a laterally extending upwardly facing opening or through hole 13 for receiving a feed roll 14. As the path of work movement is from feed roll 14 to withdrawal roll 17, right to left, the rightward bed locations will be designated as forward or ahead and the leftward locations as rearward or behind.

Thus, rearward or behind the feed-roll opening 13, the bedplate 11 is formed with a laterally extending upwardly facing opening or through hole 16 for receiving a withdrawal roll 17. Rearward or behind the bed opening 16 may be formed in the bedplate 11 an additional upwardly facing opening or through hole 18 for receiving a conveyor roller 19.

The feed roll 14 may be generally cylindrical and knurled or otherwise provided with a roughened external surface, if desired. As may be observed in FIGS. 1 and 2, the feed roll 14 is disposed with its axis generally horizontal and extending generally normal to the longitudinal direction of the bedplate, being mounted therein for axial rotation and having its upper side advantageously projecting slightly above the upper surface of the bedplate. More specifically, the feed roll 14 may be coaxially mounted or keyed on a generally horizontal shaft 20 journaled in the bedplate 11. The shaft 20 may project laterally beyond the bedplate 11 and there be provided with a pair of transmission wheels or pulleys 21 and 22.

The withdrawal roll 17 may be similar to the feed roll 14, of cylindrical configuration and externally knurled or roughtened surface, disposed generally horizontally within the bedplate opening 16 having its axis extending normal to the longitudinal direction of the bedplate. The withdrawal roll 17 may be coaxially mounted on or keyed to a shaft 25 having its opposite ends journaled in the bedplate 11 and projecting laterally therebeyond. In this rotatably mounted condition, the withdrawal roll 17 may advantageously project slightly above the upper surface of the bedplate 11, while opview of the apparatus taken generally view taken generalposite ends may be respectively provided with transmis-.

slightly above the upper surface of bedplate 11, being journaled in the latter by a coaxial shaft 28.

Located on the bedplate 11, in the space intermediate the feeding and withdrawal rolls 14 and 17, is a coating station, generally designated 30. The coating station may include an upstanding journal bracket or pedestal 31 mounted on the upper side of the bed plate 11 offset rearwardly from the center line thereof so as to be adjacent to the rear side of the bedplate. The pedestal journal 31 may be suitably affixed to the bedplate 11, as by welding or other appropriate means, and may rotatably support a hollow shaft 32 extending generally forwardly from the pedestal normal to the longitudinal axis of the bedplate in an overhanging relation spaced above a laterally medial region of the bedplate. The shaft 32 may be axially rotatable and carry on its forward end a presure roll 33 of specific configuration for conforming rolling engagement with a workpiece, as at 35, moving longitudinally along the bed between the upper side of the bedplate 11 and the pressure roll. Thus, the pressure roll 33 is mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis extending generally normal to and spaced over the bedplate 11. The pressure roll 33, or the outer surface thereof, may advantageously be fabricated of material having suitable heat-transmission and resilient characteristics, such as silicone rubber; and, suitable heating means such as an internal heater 36 may be located interiorly of the pressure roll and energized by electricity via conductors 37 passing interiorly of the shaft 32. The pressure roll 33 is thereby adapted to apply pressure and heat to the workpiece or molding beneath the roll, as will appear hereinafter in reater detail.

Located ahead or forward of the pressure roll 36, as between the latter and the feed roll 14, there is provided a supply station 40 arranged laterally across the upper side of the bedplate 11. More particularly, the supply station 40 may include a pair of laterally spaced, upstanding journal brackets or pedestals 41 and 42 respectively adjacent of the forward and rearward sides of the bedplate 11. The spaced journal pedestals 41 and 42 may be suitably secured to the bedplate in any desired manner, such as by bolts 43 and 44.

Extending through the pedestals 41 and 42, respectively, are pivot elements or threaded pins 45 and 46, such pins being in horizontal, end-to-end spaced alignment with each other generally normal to the longitudinal direction of the bedplate 11. The pins 45 and 46 may be respectively threadedly engaged in the brackets or pedestals 41 and 42, being respectively provided with locknuts 47 and 48 retaining the pins in a selected position of adjustment relative to their respective brackets.

Journaled between the adjacent ends of the pins 45 and 46 is a supply spool or roll 50 having coiled thereabout a flexible strip of carrier material 51 provided with a transferable coating, for example of gold. The supply spool 50 may be adjusted, removed and replaced by appropriate manipulation of the pins 45 and 46, and in operation is journaled for axial rotation about the aligned axes of the p Rearward or behind the coating station 30, as between the latter and the withdrawal roll 17, there is provided on the bedplate 11 a take-up station 55. The take-up station 55 may include a pair of laterally spaced, facing pedestal brackets or journals 56 and 57, respectively adjacent to the front and rear sides of the bedplate 11 and suitably secured thereto, as by fasteners 58 and 59. The forward bracket or pedestal 56 may be provided with a threaded pin 60 extending horizontally in threaded relation through the bracket generally normal to the longitudinal direction of the bedplate 11 and spaced thereabove. A locking nut 61 may be carried by the pin 60 for engagement with the bracket 56 to hold the pin in a selected position of its threaded adjustment relative to the bracket.

In axial alignment with the pin 60, and rotatably carried by the pedestal 57 adjacent to the rear side of the bedplate 11 is a shaft 62. The shaft 62 may project rearward beyond the bedplate 11 and there be provided with a transmission wheel or pulley 63 substantially coplanar with the pulley 27. Located between the pedestals 56 and 57, spaced over the bedplate 11, is a take-up spool 65 which is carried by the pin 60 and shaft 62 for rotation with the latter. That is, the take-up spool 65 is disposed generally horizontally in spaced relation over the bedplate 11 and mounted coaxially with the aligned pin 60 and shaft 62 for rotation with the latter shaft. As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the carrier strip 51 extends from the supply roll 50 as a web 66 longitudinally of the bedplate 11 beneath the pressure roll 33 and thence about the take-up spool 65, as at 67.

Suitable drive means may be provided, such as a motor 70 mounted beneath the bedplate 11 and carrying a pulley 71 directly below the pulley 22. A power-transmission member or belt 72 may be trained about the pulleys 71 and 22 to drive the shaft 20 and feed roll 14, while a power-transmission member or belt 73 may be trained about the pulleys 21 and 26 to effect powered rotation of the shaft 25 and withdrawal roll 17. In addition, a powertransmission member or belt 74 is trained about the pulleys 27 and 63 to drive the shaft 62 and take-up spool 65 from the shaft 25.

The longitudinally extending, laterally medial region of the bedplate 11 provides a pathway for the work 35 to move along the bed, and at suitable locations on the bed there may be provided guideways or rails for guiding the work. For example, a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced rails 76 may be affixed to the upper side of the bedplate 11 forward of the feed roll 14. Similar guiderails 77 may extend longitudinally on the upper side of the bedplate 11 between the withdrawal roll 17 and roll 19. Additional similar guiderails may be provided on the bedplate 11 behind the roll 19, as at 78.

In operation, the work 35 is fed along the upper side of the bedplate 11 between the entry guides 76, over the feed roll 14 and thence through the coating station 30. That is, the work 35 passes through the coating station 30 between the underside of the pressure roll 33 and the bedplate 11; simultaneously the web 66 is drawn from the supply 50 to the take-up spool 65 between the upper surface of the work 35 and underside of the pressure roll 33. It is preferred that the web 66, work 35 and surface of pressure roll 33 all have substantially the same linear velocity to effect transfer of coating material from the underside of the web 66 to the upper surface of the work 35 with a minimum of relative movement or slippage. In this manner transfer may be effected by substantially pure pressure and heat. The particular mechanism of the transfer may be conventional, such as is presently employed in hot stamping of gold.

Thus, it will now be appreciated that thepressure roll 33 is in a rolling relation with respect to the work 35. Also, the specific configuration of the pressure roll is such as to conform to the upper surface of the work and thereby flex the web 66 into conforming engagement with the work. Of course, if full conforming engagement is not desired, say to coat only a portion of the upper work surface, the roll may be appropriately configured.

As the work 35 proceeds past the coating station 30 and takeup station 55, it is engaged from beneath by the powered withdrawal roll 17 for continued withdrawal and exit movement between the guides 77, over the roll 19, and between the guides 78.

Upon constant speed of drive motor 70, the feed roll 14 and withdrawal roll 17 will be driven at constant speed. Further, the slight projection of the feed and withdrawal rolls 14 and 17 above the bedplate 11 insures effective engagement of the rolls with the underside of the work, especially as the work is held down against the bedplate by the action of pressure roll 33 intermediate the feed and withdrawal rolls. While the speed of rotation of feed and withdrawal rolls 14 and 17 may be substantially constant,

the linear speed of web 66 may tend to increase as the diameter of take-up spool 65 increases upon continued coiling of the web. However, the tightness of belt 74 may be such as to permit slight slippage at pulley 63 and thereby maintain the speed of web 66 constant as controlled by the relative rolling action of the pressure wheel 33 with respect to the work 35 and the tangential sandwiched relation therebetween of the web.

Thus, the frictional engagement of the rolls 14 and 17 with the work 35 serve both to effect the necessary feeding movement of the work, and cooperate with the action of the bedplate 11 immediately below the pressure roll 33 to urge the work toward the roll and insure substantially nonslip engagement of the work with the web 66, while the web is deflected by the roll into the desired conforming relation with the work.

From the foregoing it is seen that the present invention provides a method and apparatus for coating elongate work which fully accomplish their intended objects and are well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method for coating relatively rigid elongate work comprising the steps of drivingly advancing a relatively rigid elongate workpiece along a flat suporting surface into tangential sandwiched contact with a heat releasable coating material and a roller having a resiliently yieldable heat conducting external surface;

providing a web having the heat releasable coating disposed thereon, from a supply station toward the work surface around the roller and away from the work station to a take up station;

applying a driving force to the web between the roller and the take up station to advance the web in synchronism with the advancement of the workpiece, the synchronism enabling the malreial to be applied with a minimum of relative movement between said web and said workpiece; and

continuously coating the elongate workpiece with the heat releasable coating material by simultaneously applying heat from the roller and pressure formed between the elongate workpiece, the roller and the flat surface, both the heat and the pressure being applied at the point of contact between the roller, the heat releasable material and the workpiece.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the work is moved through the coating step by frictionally engaging the work on a single side thereof.

3. The method according to claim 2 further characterized by frictionally engaging the work before and after the coating step to feed the work into and to withdraw the work from the coating step.

4. The method according to claim 3 further characterized by deflecting said film into conforming relation with the work and the roller during said coating step for uniform transfer of the coating material on to said elongate work.

5. The method according to claim 4 further characterized by moving the film and work at substantially equal velocities through the coating step for continuous pressure transfer of the coating to the elongate workpiece with a minimum of relative movement between the coating material and the workpiece.

6. The method according to claim 1 further characterized by the winding of the web at the take up station upon a roller.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the work surface is passed under the roller and the step of coating comprises applying the material on the side of the workpiece which is opposite to the driven side of the workpiece whereby the roller applies sufl'icient force to the workpiece to insure proper pressure for coating.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,559,649 7/1951 Little et a1. 156-231 2,801,949 8/1957 Batemau 156-322 X 3,111,446 11/1963 Flood 156-542 X HAROLD ANSHER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

